System and method for recording and monitoring communications using a media server

ABSTRACT

A communication system including a media server through which communication packets are exchanged for recording and monitoring purposes is disclosed. A tap is associated with each communication endpoint allowing for cradle to grave recording of communications despite their subsequent routing or branching. An incoming communication is routed to a first tap and upon selection of a receiving party; the first tap is routed to a second tap which forwards communication packets on to the receiving party. The taps may be used to forward communication packets to any number of other taps or destinations, such as a recording device, monitoring user, or other user in the form of a conference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to telecommunication systems andmethods, as well as systems for monitoring and recording communications.More particularly, the present invention pertains to a system and methodfor flexibly monitoring and/or creating trusted and secure recordings ofcommunications over a digital transmission line.

BACKGROUND

Current telecommunication technology allows for monitoring and recordingof communications. Contact centers have traditionally used standardanalog transmission methods for connecting agents to incoming callers.However, monitoring and recording of communications in such anenvironment is resource intensive and can require multiple breaks in therecording as parties are transferred or otherwise enter and leave acommunication session. This presents a problem for users that wish togenerate uninterrupted “cradle to grave” recordings for quality control,verification, and other purposes. Users may also wish to make separaterecordings of each party to a communication in order to provide afurther level of authentication.

Many contact centers have begun installing systems capable of routingvoice communications over a digital network. In order to facilitaterecording, however, a communication still has to be rerouted through themain server. This increases the resource load on the server, reducesoverall scalability, and creates constraints which make it moredifficult to flexibly create uninterrupted recordings of individualparties.

SUMMARY

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for recording andmonitoring communications over a digital transmission line. In one form,a main contact center server receives a notification of an incomingcommunication from an outside party. The server then instructs aseparate media server to create a tap for monitoring the digitalcommunication packets received from and transmitted to the outsidecaller. The packets arriving at the tap are simply passed through withno order or timing adjustment. As a result, the tap incurs only a smallamount of latency in the communication path. Single party recording iseasily achieved since the tap will continue to be associated with aparty even when the party is transferred to another agent or put in ahold queue.

In another embodiment, the tap is used by the media server to record allcommunications sent and received by an outside party. If the party isplaced in a hold queue, the recording pauses until the party isconnected to an agent. A beep or other identifier can be inserted in therecording to signal that an interruption had occurred.

In yet another embodiment, a tap is used to monitor all communicationssent to and received by an agent. The data captured by the tap is thensent to a third party, such as a supervisor, for observation or trainingpurposes.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are described in further detail in the detaileddescription and drawings contained herein. This summary is not intendedto identify key features or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scopeof the claimed subject matter. Yet other forms, embodiments, objects,advantages, benefits, features, and aspects of the present inventionwill become apparent from the detailed description and drawingscontained herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a is a diagrammatic view of a computer system of oneimplementation.

FIG. 1 b is a logical view of one possible configuration for thecomputer system of FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram demonstrating one example of the stagesinvolved in creating a recording of an incoming communication in oneembodiment of the present system and method.

FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram demonstrating one example of the stagesinvolved in creating a recording of an outgoing communication in anotherembodiment of the present system and method.

FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram demonstrating one example of the stagesinvolved in supervisory monitoring of a communication session.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting and understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modificationsin the described embodiments, and any further applications of theprinciples of the invention as described herein are contemplated aswould normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates.

One implementation includes a unique system and methods for monitoringcommunications over a digital transmission line using a media serverwhich functions to receive and route packets to selected networkcommunication endpoints, such as in a contact center. It shall beunderstood that the principles of the present invention may also beapplied to similar systems, such as by way of non-limiting example, acorporate telecommunication system.

FIG. 1 a is a diagrammatic view of computer system 20 of one embodimentof the present invention. Computer system 20 includes computer network22. Computer network 22 couples together a number of computers 21 overnetwork pathways 23. More specifically, system 20 includes severalservers, namely Queue Server 24, Gateway Server 33, and Media Server 26.System 20 also includes a plurality of client workstations 30. Whilecomputers 21 are each illustrated as being a server or client, it shouldbe understood that any of computers 21 may be arranged to include both aclient and server. Furthermore, it should be understood that while sixcomputers 21 are illustrated, more or fewer may be utilized inalternative embodiments.

Queue Server 24 and Media Server 26 include one or more processors orCPUs (50 a and 50 b, respectively) and one or more types of memory (52 aand 52 b, respectively). Each memory 52 a and 52 b, includes a removablememory device (54 a and 54 b, respectively). Although not shown topreserve clarity, each computer 21 of system 20 includes one or moreprocessors or CPUs and one or more types of memory. Each processor maybe comprised of one or more components configured as a single unit.Alternatively, when of a multi-component form, a processor may have oneor more components located remotely relative to the others. One or morecomponents of each processor may be of the electronic variety definingdigital circuitry, analog circuitry, or both. In one embodiment, eachprocessor is of a conventional, integrated circuit microprocessorarrangement, such as one or more PENTIUM III or PENTIUM 4 processorssupplied by INTEL Corporation of 2200 Mission College Boulevard, SantaClara, Calif. 95052, USA.

Each memory (removable or generic) is one form of computer-readabledevice. Each memory may include one or more types of solid-stateelectronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, just to name afew. By way of non-limiting example, each memory may include solid-stateelectronic Random Access Memory (RAM), Sequentially Accessible Memory(SAM) (such as the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) variety or theLast-In-First-Out (LIFO) variety), Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM),Electronically Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or ElectricallyErasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); an optical disc memory(such as a DVD or CD ROM); a magnetically encoded hard disc, floppydisc, tape, or cartridge media; or a combination of any of these memorytypes. Also, each memory may be volatile, nonvolatile, or a hybridcombination of volatile and nonvolatile varieties.

System 20 further illustrates Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)40 coupled to Gateway Server 33, by pathway 42 b. Caller telephones 44may be coupled to PSTN 40 by pathway 42 a. It should be understood thatcallers using analog telephones 44 a will normally connect to the PSTN40 by dialing a standard directory phone number, such as an “800”number. The PSTN then sends a connection request to the Gateway Server33, which translates the request to a digital format for retransmissionto Queue Server 24 via network 22. The Queue Server 24 then establishesan audio connection with the PSTN, using Gateway Server 33 as thedigital/analog conversion point.

However, callers using digital telephones 44 b have the additionaloption of bypassing both the PSTN 40 and the Gateway Server 33 anddirectly dialing the digital address of the network 22 or the QueueServer 24. In this scenario, the digital telephone sends a connectionrequest, such as a SIP invitation, to the Queue Server 24 via network22. The Queue Server 24 then establishes a digital audio connection withthe digital telephone 44 b via network 22.

Workstations 30 each include a workstation computer 32 coupled to adisplay 34. Workstation computers 32 may be of the same type, or aheterogeneous combination of different computing devices. Likewise,displays 34 may be of the same type, or a heterogeneous combination ofdifferent visual devices. It should be understood that while threeworkstations 30 are described in the illustrative embodiment, more orfewer may be utilized in alternative embodiments. Contact centerapplications of system 20 typically include many more workstations ofthis type at one or more physical locations, but only a few areillustrated in FIG. 1 a to preserve clarity. In addition, eachworkstation 30 can be configured as an agent workstation, a supervisorworkstation, or as both an agent and a supervisor workstation. In theillustrative embodiment, workstations 30 a and 30 b are configured asagent workstations and workstation 30 c is configured as a supervisorworkstation.

Digital telephones 36 a, 36 b, and 36 c are each associated with adifferent one of workstations 30 a, 30 b, and 30 c, respectively.Additionally, digital telephones 36 may be integrated into the agentcomputer 32 and/or implemented in software. It should be understood thatdigital telephones 36, which are capable of being directly connected tonetwork 22, may be in the form of a handset, headset, or otherarrangement as would occur to those skilled in the art. It shall befurther understood that the connection from computer network 22 to aworkstation 30 can be made first to the associated workstation phone,then from the workstation phone to the workstation computer by way of apass-through connection on the workstation phone. Alternatively, twoconnections from the network can be made, one to the workstation phoneand one to the workstation computer. Although not shown to preserveclarity, each agent workstation 30 may also include one or more operatorinput devices such as a keyboard, mouse, track ball, light pen, and/ormicrotelecommunicator, to name just a few representative examples. Also,besides display 34, one or more other output devices may be includedsuch as loudspeaker(s) and/or a printer.

Computer network 22 can be in the form of a Local Area Network (LAN),Municipal Area Network (MAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), such as theInternet, a combination of these, or such other network arrangement aswould occur to those skilled in the art. The operating logic of system20 can be embodied in signals transmitted over network 22, inprogramming instructions, dedicated hardware, or a combination of these.It should be understood that more or fewer computers 21 can be coupledtogether by computer network 22. It should also be recognized thatcomputer network 22 may include one or more elements of PSTN 40.

In one embodiment, system 20 operates as a contact center at one or morephysical locations that are remote from one another with Queue Server 24being configured as a contact center server host, Media Server 26 beingconfigured as a server for monitoring agent communications, andworkstations 30 each arranged as a contact center client host. It shallbe understood that one or more Media Servers 26 may be included tohandle the recording and monitoring load in a contact center, but onlyone has been shown in FIG. 1 a to preserve clarity. Also, one or moreQueue Servers 24 may be configured as a contact center server host atone or more physical locations and may also be configured to provide,collectively or individually, the features of Media Server 26 describedherein. Furthermore, any of the computers 21 may be incorporated intoother devices or located in geographically different locations from oneanother.

Alternatively or additionally, system 20 may be arranged to provide fordistribution and routing of a number of different forms ofcommunication, such as telephone calls, voice mails, faxes, e-mail, webchats, instant messages, web call backs, and the like. In addition,business/customer data associated with various communications may beselectively accessed by system 20. This data may be presented to anagent at each agent workstation 30 by way of monitor 34 operativelycoupled to the corresponding agent computer 32.

Incoming communication signaling and audio stream data may arrive ineither an analog or digital format. In the case of analog communicationsarriving from the PSTN 40, both the signaling and audio stream data mustbe translated to a digital format by a conversion device, such asGateway Server 33, before being propagated over network 22 to a serveror workstation. Likewise, outgoing communication data will exist in adigital format while propagating over network 22 but will need to beconverted to an analog PSTN format before being passed to PSTN 40.

If communication data is being sent to a digital device that isconnected directly to network 22, no digital/analog conversion isrequired. As a non-limiting example, an outside caller using a digitalphone may establish a direct digital communication stream with an agentworkstation after being assigned to that agent by Queue Server 24. Infact, all signaling and audio stream data between endpoints on network22 will remain in a digital format. References to digital audiocommunications in the illustrative embodiment shall be understood toinclude all forms of digital telephony such as VOIP, SIP, and SRTP toname just a few representative examples. The present system and methodmay be applied to many other types of communications and their usewithin the current system and method is desired to be protected.

Turning now to FIG. 2, with continued reference to FIG. 1 a, the stagesfor recording a communication using a media server in one embodiment ofthe present system and method is shown. In one form, the process of FIG.2 is at least partially implemented in the operating logic of system 20.The process begins at start point 200 with the Queue Server 24 receivinga request, such as a SIP invitation, to establish a communicationsession with an outside party (stage 202). If the outside party is usingan analog phone, the Gateway Server 33 acts as the digital/analogconversion point between the parties. The Gateway Server 33 receives thecommunication initiation request from the PSTN, performs an analog todigital conversion, and sends a SIP invitation to the Queue Server 24.If, however, the outside party is using a digital device, such as a SIPenabled phone, the outside party device can route the request directlyto the Queue Server 24, bypassing the Gateway Server 33.

In the illustrative embodiment, the Queue Server 24 instructs the MediaServer 26 to establish individual monitoring taps for each known partyprior to creating the communication session (stage 204). For example, ifthe outside party is initially routed to an IVR, individual taps wouldbe associated with the outside party and the IVR device.

In the illustrative embodiment, a tap is a logical component residing onthe Media Server 26 to duplicate or record packets from a networkstream, perform some processing upon them, and subsequently forward themalong to their intended destination. A simple tap association for acommunication arrangement between two parties having monitoring andrecording functionality is shown in FIG. 1 b. The illustrativecommunication involves two parties, Party A and Party B using digitalcommunication devices 80 and 82 respectively. Party A's device 80 isconnected with tap 90 while Party B's device 82 is similarly connectedto tap 92. It shall be appreciated that taps 90 and 92 are within MediaServer 26. Communication packets sent from Party A are received by tap90, forwarded to tape 92, and subsequently forwarded to Party B. Goingthe other way, communication packets sent from Party B are received bytap 92, forwarded to tap 90, and subsequently forwarded to Party A.

In order to provide additional functionality, Media Server 26 may beconfigured to forward communication packets from a tap, such as tap 90as shown, to a recording device 94. In a further form, the recordingdevice 94 may be combined with tap 90. Additionally, Media Server 26 mayforward communication packets from a tap, such as tap 92 as shown, toanother device, such as digital communication device 84 associated witha Monitoring Party.

Returning to FIG. 2, as new parties are added to the session, the MediaServer 26 creates additional taps for those parties, such as thoseillustrated in FIG. 1B. In other embodiments, taps may only be createdfor designated parties, depending on the configuration of the MediaServer 26. It should be understood that the Media Server 26 can createtaps at any time prior to or during a communication session.

After the taps are created, the Queue Server 24 establishes a digitalcommunication stream between the parties (stage 206). The taps may bespecified as destinations, allowing the Media Server 26 to receive androute the communication data packets. In one form, the individual tapssimply pass the data (digital audio in this embodiment) through with noprocessing or time correction, thereby incurring virtually no latency onthe communication path. In another form, the data passed through the tapmay be processed if, for example, the transmitting and receiving devicesuse different digital audio protocols. The taps may also replicate theincoming data packets, process them, such as mixing the streams fromboth parties or encode/decode them, and forward them to a selecteddevice for recording and/or monitoring purposes.

At any point during the communication session, the Queue Server 24 maysend a request to the Media Server 26 to record the communicationsession. In the illustrative embodiment, the request includesinformation identifying the communication to be recorded as well as aset of configuration options. This identifying information may include aspecification of which individual parties are to be recorded, a uniquecommunication identifier, or any other identifier known to one of skillin the art. Additionally, the configuration options may include, but arein no way limited to, the amount of each communication to record, themethod of storage for the communication, an optional recording format,encryption parameters, encryption and authentication keys, and/or astorage location.

After receiving the request, the Media Server 26 begins recording thecommunication data passing through the tap associated with the outsideparty by writing the data packets to a file on the Media Server 26(stage 208). This is the normal scenario when a recording of thecommunication sent to and received from the outside party is needed forlater verification, such as with financial transactions. In furtherembodiments, the Media Server 26 monitors multiple taps and records themas individual files or collective files combining the communications oftwo or more parties, as specified by the configuration options. It shallbe appreciated that the communication data may be received by the MediaServer 26 in one format and saved to file in another more favorableformat. Additionally, system 20 may notify the parties that the call maybe recorded to comply with legal requirements.

In a further form, to ensure call privacy, the audio data packets may beencrypted. The tap may thus have to decrypt the duplicated packetsbefore processing them for recording and/or monitoring. In an alternateembodiment, the audio packets are recorded in encrypted form to avoidQueue Server 24 having to disclose the encryption keys to the MediaServer 26. In yet another embodiment, the tap decrypts the packetsbefore forwarding them to the agent phones 36 and encrypts the packetsfrom the agent phones. This arrangement is useful if the local networkis trusted and the agent phones do not support encryption. In a stillfurther form, the Queue Server 24 discloses the keys to the Media Server26 which decrypts the packets for recording and encrypts the recordedpackets using a new key. The packets may then be forwarded to theirdestinations having their original encoding using the keys disclosed bythe Queue Server 24 while the player eventually used to playback therecording may operate using a distinct key system.

In response to a request by the agent to consult privately with asupervisor during the communication, the Queue Server 24 transfers theoutside party to a hold queue (stage 210). In the illustrativeembodiment, the Media Server 26 pauses the recording through the outsideparty tap and inserts a beep or other audio marker for laterverification that the outside party was placed on hold. In anotherembodiment, additional meta-data, such as timestamps are added to therecording to indicate the duration of a hold operation. However, thisdoes not close the recording file associated with the outside party onthe Media Server 26. In a further embodiment, the Media Server 26continues to record the data flowing through the outside party tap,including any on-hold music, IVR responses, or messages broadcast by theQueue Server 24. In yet another embodiment, only the audio from theexternal caller is recorded during hold operations and the hold-music ormessages played to the caller are excluded from the recording.

Once the outside party has been transferred to a hold queue, the QueueServer 24 connects the agent to a supervisor for consultation asrequested, with no interruption in the recording of the outside partytap (stage 212). Upon completion of the consultation or by request ofthe agent, the Queue Server 24 removes the outside caller from the holdqueue, reconnects the agent, and resumes the recording if it had beenpaused (stage 214). At some later point in the communication session(normally when the outside party disconnects), the Queue Server 24instructs the Media Server 26 to end the recording (stage 216). In oneform, the recording may be stored on Media Server 26 and subsequentlytransferred to a central server for archival. In another form, therecording may be encrypted and/or hashed as it is archived or stored topreserve confidentiality and/or prevent/detect tampering. In yet anotherform, in the event of a spoken communication, language processingtechniques may be utilized to create and store a transcript of therecorded communication. Once the recording has been stored, the processends at point 218.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the stages involved in recording anoutgoing communication from the contact center using the Media Server26. The process begins at start point 300 with the Queue Server 24sending a request, such as a SIP invitation, to an outside party deviceto establish a communication session (stage 302). As discussed above,the Gateway Server 33 is utilized as a conversion point if the receivingoutside party is using an analog phone or a digital phone based on adifferent digital protocol. Once the outside party device replies withan acceptance, the Queue Server 24 assigns an agent to the session andinstructs the Media Server 26 to establish monitoring taps with each ofthe parties (stage 304). The Queue Server 24 then establishes a digitalcommunication stream between the parties (stage 306) and instructs theMedia Server 26 to begin recording the communication using the outsideparty tap (stage 308). It shall be understood that the instruction tobegin recording may be included in the same request as the instructionto create the monitoring taps.

After communicating with the outside party, the agent may decide totransfer the outside party to a different agent or supervisor (stage310). The Queue Server 24 disconnects the first agent from the sessionand connects a second agent or supervisor to the outside party. Sincethe recording is being made through the outside party tap, there is nointerruption in the recording during the transfer. Once thecommunication session is completed, the Media Server 26 stores therecording for later retrieval (stage 312). The process then ends atpoint 314.

FIG. 4 illustrates the stages involved in monitoring an agentcommunication in real time, such as when a supervisor wishes to listenin on a communication between an agent and an outside party for trainingor quality assurance purposes. The process begins at start point 400with the Queue Server 24 receiving a request from an outside party toestablish a communication session (stage 402). The Queue Server 24 theninstructs the Media Server 26 to associate monitoring taps with theoutside party and an available agent (stage 404) and establishes adigital communication stream between the parties (stage 406). In afurther form, the system may be configured to associated taps with allcommunications, even if they are not recorded and/or monitored initiallyto avoid interruption in the event recording and/or monitoring is laterrequired.

After receiving a request from a supervisor to monitor the communication(stage 408), the Media Server 26 sends a parallel feed of the digitalaudio received by the outside party tap to the supervisor workstation,allowing the supervisor to listen to the communication with nodiscernable interruption in the conversation between the agent and theoutside party (stage 410). It shall be appreciated that there may bemultiple concurrent supervisors receiving streams from the same tap, asstage 410 may be performed multiple times at any point during an activecommunication. Upon receiving a request from the supervisor workstationto stop monitoring the conversation (stage 412), the Media Server 26disconnects the parallel feed to the supervisor tap, again with nodiscernable interruption in the communication between the outside partyand the agent (stage 414). The process ends when the outside partydisconnects at point 416.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allequivalents, changes, and modifications that come within the spirit ofthe inventions as described herein and/or by the following claims aredesired to be protected.

Hence, the proper scope of the present invention should be determinedonly by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as toencompass all such modifications as well as all relationships equivalentto those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.

1. A method comprising the steps of: receiving a notification at a firstserver from a first digital endpoint corresponding to a first party of adigital communication over a network; connecting said first digitalendpoint to a second server on said network using said first server;connecting said second server to a second digital endpoint correspondingto a second party; establishing a first communication session over saidnetwork between said first party and said second party by routingcommunication packets received by said second server from said firstdigital endpoint to said second digital endpoint and from said seconddigital endpoint to said first digital endpoint; and initiating arecording or monitoring operation of at least a portion of said firstcommunication session using said second server.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein said second server applies a transformation to at least aportion of said communication packets.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinsaid transformation is selected from the group consisting of decoding,encoding, error correction, loss concealment, decrypting, encrypting,delaying, re-ordering, re-packaging, compression, and decompression andgain control.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said transformation isdifferent for said communication packets received from said firstdigital endpoint then said communication packets received from saidsecond digital endpoint.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondserver applies a transformation to all of said communication packets. 6.The method of claim 2, wherein said recording includes said portion ofsaid communication packets.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein saidrecording includes only communication packets from either said firstdigital endpoint or said second digital endpoint.
 8. The method of claim1, wherein said recording includes communication packets from both saidfirst digital endpoint and said second digital endpoint.
 9. The methodof claim 1, wherein said second server records from said notification todisconnection of said first digital endpoint.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein said first server is an automatic call distribution system. 11.The method of claim 1, wherein said first server is an interactive voiceresponse system.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said digitalcommunication is a SIP session.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein saidfirst server is a SIP gateway.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein saidfirst digital endpoint is a SIP enabled telephone.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein said notification is a SIP invite message.
 16. Themethod of claim 13, wherein said second digital endpoint is a SIPenabled telephone.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one ofsaid first and second digital endpoints is associated with a contactcenter agent.
 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the stepsof: connecting said second server to a third digital endpointcorresponding to a third party; establishing a second communicationsession over said network between said first party and said third partyby routing communication packets received by said second server fromsaid first digital endpoint to said third digital endpoint and from saidthird digital endpoint to said first digital endpoint; and continuingsaid recording or monitoring operation on said second communicationsession using said second server.
 19. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising the step of: disconnecting said second digital endpoint fromsaid first communication session.
 20. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the steps of: forwarding said communication packets receivedby said second server from said first and said second digital endpointto at least a third digital endpoint.
 21. The method of claim 20,wherein said third digital endpoint is associated with a contact centersupervisor.
 22. The method of claim 18, wherein said third digitalendpoint is a hold server providing hold audio.
 23. A method comprisingthe steps of: connecting a first digital endpoint corresponding to afirst party to a first tap on a media server over a digital network;replicating the communication packets received by said first tap andforwarding said communication packets to at least a first recording ormonitoring device; establishing a first communication session over saidnetwork between said first party and said second party by routingcommunication packets from said first digital endpoint received by saidfirst tap to said second digital endpoint and from said second digitalendpoint through said first tap to said first digital endpoint withoutinterrupting said forwarding.
 24. The method of claim 23, furthercomprising the step of: connecting a second digital endpointcorresponding to a second party to a second tap on said media serverover said digital network.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein saidcommunication packets are routed from said first digital endpointthrough said first tap and said second tap to said second digitalendpoint and by said second tap through said second tap and said firsttap to said first digital endpoint.
 26. The method of claim 25, furthercomprising the step of: removing said second party from saidcommunication session by ceasing said routing; connecting a thirddigital endpoint corresponding to a third party to a third tap on amedia server over a digital network; establishing a second communicationsession over said network between said first party and said third partyby routing communication packets received by said first tap to throughsaid third tap to said third digital endpoint and by said third tapthrough said first tap to said first digital endpoint withoutinterrupting said forwarding.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein saidthird digital endpoint is a hold server.
 28. The method of claim 27,wherein said hold server provides hold audio.
 29. The method of claim23, further comprising the step of: terminating said first communicationsession without interrupting said forwarding.
 30. The method of claim25, further comprising the step of: connecting a third digital endpointcorresponding to a third party to a third tap on a media server over adigital network; adding said third party to said first communicationsession by routing communication packets received by said first tap andsaid second tap through said third tap to said third digital endpointand by said third tap through said first and said second taps to saidfirst and said second digital endpoints respectively withoutinterrupting said forwarding.
 31. The method of claim 23, wherein saidmonitoring device is a digital endpoint associated with a contact centersupervisor.
 32. The method of claim 23, wherein said recording device isa storage device.
 33. The method of claim 23, wherein said file serverstores said communication packets to a file.
 34. The method of claim 33,wherein said file is encrypted.
 35. The method of claim 33, wherein saidfile is compressed.
 36. The method of claim 33, wherein said fileincludes meta-data associated with said communication packets.
 37. Themethod of claim 23, wherein each of said digital endpoints is a SIPendpoint.
 38. A system comprising: a digital communication network; afirst digital endpoint connected to said network; a second digitalendpoint connected to said network; a media server connected to saidnetwork, said media server operable to associate a first tap with saidfirst digital endpoint, receive communication packets from said firstdigital endpoint, replicate said communication packets, and route saidcommunication packets to said second digital endpoint; and a file serversuitable for receiving and storing said replicated packets from saidmedia server or a third digital endpoint suitable for receiving andplaying said replicated packets from said media server.